Gunmen unleash terror on UNIJOS

The peace of the University of Jos (UNIJOS) was shattered when two gunmen opened fire on a student, but he escaped unhurt. Irate students lynched one of them; the other was beaten to a pulp, ESTHER MARK (Mass Communication) reports.

All was calm at the University of Jos (UNIJOS) that fateful Wednesday. There was no sign of the violence that would later engulf the campus.

A part-time Management Science student, Lydia, woke up that morning hale and hearty. She left for school to write her final exam. After the exam, she followed her course mates to the main library garden for photographs. She was posing before a camera when a shot came from nowhere. Lydia was hit by a bullet on her left arm, below the shoulder. She fell immediately; and, out of fear, her colleagues ran for dear life.

The peace on campus was shattered. Members of the National Association of English and Literary Students (NAELS), who were holding election in their department, scampered for safety. Students, receiving lecture in a four-storey building, almost jumped down as gunshots rang out. Two students lost consciousness amid the chaos.

Many students had thought it was a Boko Haram attack. After recovering from the shock, they discovered that it was an attempt on the life of a male student. When they learned that the gunmen had wounded their colleagues, students went wild.

CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the main target of the assailants, a 300-Level Psychology student, ducked when the gunmen shot at him. He was said to have disappeared immediately from the scene. When they learned their attack had failed, the assailants took to their heels, shooting sporadically. Students went after them.

They were chased from the permanent site library to the Red Bricks near the main gate, then to the Abuja Hostel. One of the gunmen was overpowered on the bridge between the Red Bricks and Abuja Hostel. The students, who were angered by the rumour of Lydia’s death, descended on the gunman and hit him with various weapons till he died.

Students went after the second gunman. He was caught at the Aluta Centre in the Abuja hostel; the attacker was almost killed before he was rescued by security operatives. Eyewitnesses said the gunman attempted to shoot the security man working in centre but the trigger seized. That was the time the angry students arrived.

As the drama unfolded, Students’ Union Government (SUG) officials arrived in their mini bus and pleaded with the mob not to apply jungle justice. But the irate students pounced on the SUG officials and chased them away from the scene. The vice president of the union was said to have lost her pair of shoes as she ran for safety.

The members of Plateau State Special Task Force (STF) were called to control the lawlessness. The assailant, who was almost dead, was rescued by the task force.

Furious students blocked the way as the soldiers tried to move out of the campus. The STF men were said to have put their Toyota Hillux van on full motion to disperse the students.

By press time, the reason for the assassination bid was yet to be ascertained. The two students, who were rumoured dead, were rushed to the University Health Centre.

One of them, Uju Imo, 100-Level English, who voted in her department’s election a few minutes before the incident, was said to be with her friends when she was suddenly hit on the head by a stone being hurled at the gunmen during the chase. Uju was discharged the following day.

Recounting her experience to CAMPUSLIFE, Uju, whose parents are lecturers in the university, said: “I went to vote with friends in my department’s election, after which we heard gunshots. As we tried to run for safety, I saw students chasing two guys with guns. One of the stones hit me and I fell down. People thought I had been hit by a stray bullet and rushed me to the health centre. I am really grateful to God because it could have been worse. The injury was not serious because I was discharged the next day from the school centre.”

Speaking, the Deputy Registrar, Information and Communications, Mr Steve Otowo, said the gunmen were not students of the institution. He said: “Two gunmen came to the campus and started shooting. The bullet hit a student but the gunmen were pursued by angry students who killed one of them. The other was almost killed before the security men of the STF came and whisked him away to the hospital. I want to categorically state that none of the gunmen was a student of the institution. Their mission to the school is still being investigated.”

The Chief Security Officer, Shoky Bature, told CAMPUSLIFE: “The gunmen were after a 300-Level student of Psychology. Unfortunately for them, the bullet hit another student while the main target escaped unhurt. After the incident, the student was interrogated by the security. We discovered that he had an injury but there was no physical trace of blood. An X-ray had to be conducted and it was discovered he had a bullet in his stomach. He was transferred to Bingham University Teaching Hospital where an operation was conducted on him to remove the bullet. Where he got the bullet wound from, and why the assailants were in school to kill him, are being investigated. Right now, he is recuperating at the Bingham Teaching Hospital.”

A student and resident of Abuja Hostel, Peter Istifanus, said: “We cannot fold our hands and watch criminals inflict pain on us. We cannot be battling ethnic crisis in the state and yet we won’t have peace on campus. This is why the angry students descended on the gunmen.”

By the time of filing this report, Lydia was still recuperating in an undisclosed hospital but CAMPUSLIFE gathered that her condition was stable.

Meanwhile, because of the incident, many departmental elections have been postponed till further notice. Otowo advised students to be security-conscious and not to engage themselves in unlawful killing.

Thank God for the life of Lydia. That particular 300 level guy must be a cultist. If not where did he got the bullet he is carrying in his stomach and the wound on his body. He has so many questions to answer and may be reveal the activities of his group in the institution.

Meanwhile Glory be to God that no student’s life was lost. What would the nation be talking again, day before yesterday, Mubi, yesterday and today Jos. Haba what is happening?